Morocco’s head coach Said Chiba says he is ready for the battle awaiting his side as they take on Senegal in the final of the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers tonight.
The two sides met during a four-nation training tournament in Morocco before the AFCON, with Chiba’s side winning 3-2 and he reckoned this will be a game of familiar foes.
“This will be a competitive match. Senegal is one of the strongest teams in the tournament. They know us well and we know them well too. We will take our chances and give our best in the game,” Chiba stated.
He added; “Senegal has a lot of talent in the squad. Information on both teams is available and we also know each other so there are no secrets. The friendly matches gave us an idea about each other.”
Morocco and Senegal have both had the meanest defences in the tournament, Senegal only conceding once, in their semi-final against Burkina Faso while Morocco have only conceded twice, in their last group stage match against Zambia.
Morocco have curved a niche of being one of the most tactically disciplined teams in the tournament especially defensively.
Chiba noted they will need to create a good balance between their offensive and defensive tactics, knowing too well Senegal’s strength in attack as they have a strong forward line.
“We are ready to win the Cup without a doubt and that will need us to be good both defensively and offensively,” noted the coach.
He added that with their first target of World Cup qualification already secured, their next ambition, to win the title, is also within reach.
Playmaker Marouane Rayan Bayad has said the players have their focus locked on winning the title, as they look to make history of their own.
“It will be a difficult match. We have watched Senegal’s matches and they are a tough competitor and we respect them. We have prepared well and we will go into the match to win the title,” added the coach.
Both coach Chiba and forward Bayad say they are pushed on to make history on Sunday and make the people of Morocco happy as they have offered them immense support during the tournament.